European Championships
German eighth is only fourth – Zeidler in gold form
The Germany eight went empty-handed at the European Rowing Championships in Munich. photo
© Sven Hoppe/dpa
The Germany eight missed the expected medal in fourth place in Munich. A gold candidate makes a by no means everyday adjustment at the home EM.
The frustration was huge after this lesson for the Germany eight. Instead of celebrating the expected medal at the European Championships, batsman Torben Johannesen & Co. had to explain the depressing fourth place at the home European Championship.
“The Brits showed how to ride a figure eight. Unfortunately, we did it differently and then you get overwhelmed,” said 27-year-old Johannesen. “We didn’t have the guts. Sometimes, to put it simply, you have to deviate,” said the Hamburger, who was appointed batsman shortly after Mattes Schönherr’s absence.
All the loud cheers from the stands in Oberschleißheim didn’t help on the day before the grand finale of World and European Champion Oliver Zeidler in the singles – in the end the German flagship had to line up just behind bronze medal winners Italy. Behind the outstanding Brits, the Dutch celebrated silver. “If we deliver such a performance, then we can’t complain in the end,” said helmsman Jonas Wiesen.
National coach Uwe Bender has high hopes for the training camp that the crew is heading to on Sunday in what will be a “year of learning and learning”. “The young team fought on the track to get back up. That cost the grains that were missing at the back,” said Bender a month before the World Cup in the Czech Republic, where the competition will be even greater. “Today we paid our dues.”
Zeidler wins semi-final run
The mood at Zeidler was significantly better after a sovereign victory in the semifinals. “Stay cool and knock yourself out on Sunday,” was the motto of the 26-year-old. After he still had problems with the starting phase in the run-up, he now dominated the competition with new skulls.
“Of course it’s not optimal to take on new skulls before the important races, because that’s always a bit different feeling. But it feels better than before,” said Zeidler, who lives in Schwaig near Erding. 50 years after his grandfather’s Olympic rowing gold at the 1972 Summer Games, he also wants to win in Oberschleißheim on Sunday. Then 20-year-old Alexandra Föster, who surprisingly won the World Cup final in Lucerne five weeks ago, is also hoping for a top place in the singles.
Like in 2019 and 2021, Zeidler is aiming for the European title. “If you become European champion at your home track, you have to master all the preliminary races,” said father and trainer Heino Zeidler. He described what the new skulls mean: “It’s like a tennis player who may not hit the line with his racket as he intended. That’s how it was with us in the run-up.”
His daughter Marie-Sophie was allowed to compete in the women’s quadruple sculls in the A final on Saturday. In the success of Great Britain, the German boat took sixth and last place.